Welcome to the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Ithaca College

We are dedicated to teaching and learning physics in a collaborative, performance-based community. We encourage observation and analysis of the natural world, and we seek to provide the tools and skills for solving problems and advancing our knowledge of the universe.

Lofty goals, but what is it like to be a physics major?

Majors get hands-on, individualized instruction in small classes and well-equipped laboratories.

You will get to know your Professors because they teach all of the classes and are extensively available outside of class.

If you want to get involved in cutting-edge research funded by agencies like the National Science Foundation and NASA you can; even as a freshman!

We have an award winning Society of Physics Students chapter, which sponsors a wide range of activities.

Majors learn to think analytically, critically, and logically. We also help you learn to give scientific presentations, poster presentations, and write scientific papers. These are all skills that employers and graduate schools look for.

We also offer a master of arts in teaching degree (M.A.T.) in physics, which can be obtained in 12 to 14 months. During that time, students perform physics research, learn advanced physics topics and a range of education techniques, and spend a semester student teaching. At the end of the program, you will have your initial certificate to teach physics in New York State.

To find out more, please take a moment to browse our site. If you have further questions, feel free to contact us.

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SOFIA featured by CBS News

Professor Matthew C. Sullivan's Research Group Featured on the Travel Channel

Ithaca College Physics & Astronomy featured at the American Physical Society March Meeting

The Kalavasos and Maroni Built Environments (KAMBE) Project is an interdisciplinary investigation of the relationships between architecture, social interaction, and social change on the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus during the Protohistoric Bronze Age (Middle Cypriot III -- Late Cypriot IIIA; c. 1700-1100 BCE). This collaborative research brings together expertise from the Department of Physics at Ithaca College, the Department of Classics at Cornell University, and the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies (CAST) at the University of Arkansas.